Book Review: Strange Neighbors by Ashlyn Chase

Strange Neighbors by Ashlyn Chase

Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca

Publish Date: June 1, 2010

Paperback, 384 pages

My Review:
Strange Neighbors is a fun, romantic romp that passes an afternoon wonderfully.  I was engrossed in this apartment complex and it's inhabitants from the beginning.  Merry is just out on her own and she's been thrown into a building with a lot of interesting characters.  The most interesting of which is Jason Falco, a great baseball pitcher.  The sparks fly between Jason and Merry from the beginning, but with strange happenings and even stranger events going on, it feels like things may never click between them.

I loved this book for the romance and the characters.  Both were very entertaining.  The plot moves things along well and it never lags so the book is wholly enjoyable.  Strange Neighbors was a quick enjoyable read with paranormal elements and I really hope that there are more books that will make this a series because there are many of the characters I want to learn more about plus I would love to see more of Jason and Merry.

My Rating:  4.0/5.0

About the Book:
He's looking for peace, quiet, and a little romance...

There's never a dull moment when hunky all-star pitcher and shapeshifter Jason Falco invests in an old Boston brownstone apartment building full of supernatural creatures. But when Merry MacKenzie moves into the ground floor apartment, the playboy pitcher decides he might just be done playing the field...

A girl just wants to have fun...

Sexy Jason seems like the perfect fling, but newly independent nurse Merry's not sure she's ready to trust him with her heart...especially when the tabloids start trumpeting his playboy lifestyle.
Then pandemonium breaks loose and Merry and Jason will never get it together without a little help from the vampire who lives in the basement and the werewolf from upstairs...

About the Author (from Goodreads.com):
Ashlyn Chase has been a registered nurse for 20 years. During those years, she wrote articles for professional journals and a thesis, but eventually, thank goodness, discovered the joy and freedom of writing fiction.

Ashlyn considers herself lucky. Her degree in behavioral sciences is a combination of psychology and sociology, so she has worked with and studied people most of her life. She never has to write out exhaustive character sketches to understand her characters or predict how they will behave. That doesn't mean they don't surprise her. Sometimes they take her on grand unexpected journeys. For her, it gives "character driven novels" a whole new meaning.

Ashlyn has learned to go with the flow. To enjoy the journey is not only one of her writing goals, but also a challenge in life so she tries to follow where the story takes her. As such, she has lived in 17 different places over the years. At last, she's all settled down and comfy in New England.

Is there a grand design or do we decide our own fates? Perhaps if the powers-that-be have a plot, then they also give us the right to revise it. Ashlyn has certainly made detours on her path, but she thinks she's better for it. She's having fun at any rate and hopes that if she enjoys the journey, so will those around her—including her readers.

FTC Information: I received this book from Sourcebooks Casablanca for review.  I have Amazon links on my review pages but I do not make any money from these because of NC laws.  I put them solely for people to check out the books on a retail site.

What Are You Reading Monday - June 7

Come post weekly and see what others are reading too just so you can add to your tbr - I always do! For more information see Sheila at One Persons Journey Through a World of Books and join in!

Books Completed Last Week 

• Never Let You Go by Erin Healy (review) 
• Welcome to Harmony by Jodi Thomas (review)
• The Ark by Boyd Morrison (review) 
• My Name is Memory by Ann Brashares (review)
• Strange Neighbors by Ashlyn Chase (review)

Reading Now:

• Wayfarer by R.J. Anderson
• The Little Giant of Aberdeen County by Tiffany Baker
• Don't Look Twice by Andrew Gross (library, audiobook)
• Dangerous by Diana Palmer (Kindle, review)
• Burned by P.C. and Kristin Cast (library)
  

Next:

• I Love This Bar by Carolyn Brown
• Sins of the Mother by Victoria Christopher Murray
• The Passage by Justin Cronin

Summary -
Great reading week.  I spent the first part sick, the middle out-of-town with my husband while he had Lasik surgery and the end of the week running around like crazy, but I still found time to read.  My reading slump is officially over!  My blogging slump is over too and that makes me happy.

Giveaway: Lowcountry Summer by Dorthea Benton Frank

Thanks to William Morrow, I have one copy of Lowcountry Summer by Dorthea Benton Frank to giveaway. I received the giveaway with my own coveted copy last week and I would love to get it into one of my reader's hands. It goes on sale on Tuesday, June 15 and you could have it soon after. Here's a little more about it. More information about the giveaway is below.   I will be reading it in the next week or so and posting my review.  This will be my first Dorthea Benton Frank book even though I have been meaning to read her for years.

Lowcountry Summer

Publisher:  William Morrow

Publish Date:  June 15, 2010

Hardcover, 352 pages

About the Book:

Dorothea Benton Frank is a native of the South whose novels vividly capture the wild beauty, laid-back atmosphere, earthy characters, and charming eccentricities of life in South Carolina's Lowcountry. Written with compelling honesty and emotional depth, her stories have touched readers from coast to coast, and propelled her to the top ranks of bestsellerdom nationwide.

Now this remarkable writer revisits some of her most unforgettable characters in this enchanting new story sure to make you laugh and cry. Return with her to Tall Pines Plantation in this long-awaited sequel to her beloved bestseller Plantation. . . .

When Caroline Wimbley Levine returned to Tall Pines Plantation, she never expected to make peace with long-buried truths about herself and her family. The Queen of Tall Pines, her late mother, was a force of nature, but now she is gone, leaving Caroline and the rest of the family uncertain of who will take her place.
In the lush South Carolina countryside, old hurts, betrayals, and dark secrets will surface, and a new generation will rise along the banks of the mighty Edisto River.

Wonderfully evocative, infused with humor and poignancy, and rich with the lyrical cadences of the South, Lowcountry Summer is vintage Dorothea Benton Frank, a deeply moving novel you'll want to savor and share.

The Giveaway:

One copy of The Rule of Nine by Steve Martini provided by the publisher, William Morrow, that I will mail out to the winner within a week of the close of the giveaway.  The winner will be notified by email and posted on the website and will have 48 hours to contact me with their address before I draw another name.  Giveaway ends June 13, 2010.  Open to US/Canada only.

To Enter:

Simply comment.  Tell me if you've read Dorthea Benton Frank before or just say enter me.  Additional entries for tweeting (1 per day), following me in any way (twitter, google follower, rss, email, see sidebar to follow), and 5 additional entries for telling me your favorite book you read so far this year.  Please leave a separate comment for each entry (I'll count the 5 entries for your favorite book this year, so you don't need to leave that 5 times).  All comments will be randomized and then I will pick a number using random.org.

Thanks!  Look for more giveaways over the next few weeks.

Winners!

It's time for another round of winners. All winners have been contacted and I will give them 4 days to get back to me before I draw another winner. So here goes.

Indivisible by Kristen Heitzmann:

Cindy W.

The Rule of Nine by Steve Martini:

Carol W.

The Last Christian by David Gregory:

Simply Stacie

More winners coming next week and more giveaways.  Check my sidebar for other giveaways open now.

Book Review: Never Let You Go by Erin Healy

Never Let You Go by Erin Healy

Publisher: Thomas Nelson

Publish Date: May 4, 2010

Hardcover, 320 pages

My Review:

Never Let You Go was a very interesting book.  I have started not reading what the book is about right before I read it so I can go into it with a vague idea, but not an overall idea.  I would have read a synopsis when agreeing to review, but sometimes several weeks pass and I don't quite remember what the book is supposed to be about.  I did that with Never Let You Go and I was continually surprised with the direction the book went.  I think I expected more of a romantic suspense, and you do get that, but there is a lot more of a spiritual battle similar to Ted Dekker and Frank Peretti books.  This didn't take away from the story at all - it really added to it.  And it definitely added to the element of surprise.  Every time I thought I had something figured out, it twisted and turned.

The characters were interesting.  I liked Lexi, she was just trying to do what was best for her child, but like all of us, she's human and she was holding onto quite a few secrets and grudges.  One of my favorite characters was Angelo, who was always in the right place at the right time and he had a sense of humor (and a magenta truck).  The storyline with Grant, Lexi's missing, but not ex, husband added to the story and I liked learning about him.

Never Let You Go is full of flawed characters just trying to find their way in life.  I think everyone can relate to one of the characters even if you haven't done exactly what they have done.  We all have sin and we all need forgiveness and we all often need to forgive someone.  I think that was the major take home message of this one.  And the storyline that brings home this message was very interesting and well put together.  As Ms. Healy's solo debut, I think she did a wonderful job and I look forward to her next book as well.


My Rating:  4.25/5.0

About the Book:
Losing everything has made Lexi hold those she loves tightly. Hell is determined to loosen her grip.

Lexi lives in the shadow of choices her husband made. Especially Grant's choice to leave seven years ago, without a word. Her relationship with their daughter, Molly, is now the most important thing in her life. Lexi will do anything-work grueling hours, attend church on her only day off, sacrifice financially-just to see Molly smile.

When Grant shows up declaring his intent to re-enter their daughter's life, Lexi is skeptical of his motives. She soon determines not to let him near Molly. Then a drug dealer named Warden arrives on Lexi's doorstep, demanding payment of Grant's old debts.

But that's just the earthly perspective. Staggering supernatural events are spilling into her world in real and shocking ways. Hell's fury is great, but Heaven's power is greater still. In a novel that defies easy categorization, this has all the early buzz of the breakthrough read of 2010.

About the Author:
See my author spotlight for more information about Erin Healy.

FTC Information: I received this book from Amy Currie of Phenix & Phenix Literary Publicists for review.  I have Amazon links on my review pages but I do not make any money from these because of NC laws.  I put them solely for people to check out the books on a retail site.

Book Review: My Name is Memory by Ann Brashares

My Name is Memory by Ann Brashares

Publisher: Riverhead Hardcover

Publish Date: June 1, 2010

Hardcover, 342 pages

My Review:

I found this book to be fascinating from the first page.  The story takes place taking turns telling it from Daniel's point-of-view in the past and present and also from Lucy's point-of-view mainly in the present.  I enjoyed learning about Daniel's life and something of the phenomenon he is part of, a type of soul rebirth through the ages.  Daniel is a wise soul and seems to know who he was in each of his lives.  And one there is one woman/girl that he is always in search of, his Sophia, Constance and now Lucy.  She goes by different names, but is the same soul whether she knows it or not.

The book is haunting as you read of Daniel's lives and how they interweave with Lucy's past lives.  The reader also gets in touch with Lucy and her uncertainty of whether she believes Daniel.  The plot was great to me and kept me hooked through the book.  The last 80 or so pages really took off, but I found the first part just as fascinating with the character development.  I kept wondering who Daniel would be next and what was going to happen.  I never felt bored by the plot line or the characters.  My Name is Memory was well-paced and a very enjoyable read.

If you like novels with a subtle paranormal twist, not too much world building, just the storyline, then this is a book for you.  It has a romance that spans the ages, a wounded hero, a woman who just wants to be normal and a storyline that will grip you from the first page.  Ms. Brashares has done a wonderful job on her second outing to adult fiction and I will be reading her more in the future.

My Rating:  4.5/5.0

About the Book:
Daniel has spent centuries falling in love with the same girl. Life after life, crossing continents and dynasties, he and Sophia (despite her changing name and form) have been drawn together-and he remembers it all. Daniel has "the memory", the ability to recall past lives and recognize souls of those he's previously known. It is a gift and a curse. For all the times that he and Sophia have been drawn together throughout history, they have also been torn painfully, fatally, apart. A love always too short.

Interwoven through Sophia and Daniel's unfolding present day relationship are glimpses of their expansive history together. From 552 Asia Minor to 1918 England and 1972 Virginia, the two souls share a long and sometimes torturous path of seeking each other time and time again. But just when young Sophia (now "Lucy" in the present) finally begins to awaken to the secret of their shared past, to understand the true reason for the strength of their attraction, the mysterious force that has always torn them apart reappears. Ultimately, they must come to understand what stands in the way of their love if they are ever to spend a lifetime together.

A magical, suspenseful, heartbreaking story of true love, My Name is Memory proves the power and endurance of a union that was meant to be.

About the Author:
Ann Brashares was born and raised in the Washington, D.C. area with her three brothers. She attended the Sidwell Friends School and then studied philosophy at Barnard College, part of Columbia University in New York City.

After college she worked in editorial jobs until 2000, when she began her first novel, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, published in 2001. Over the next five years she wrote three sequels-The Second Summer of the Sisterhood, Girls in Pants, and Forever in Blue.  The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants was made into a feature film and released by Warner Brothers in 2005. In June 2010 she will release her new novel, My Name is Memory.  (From Ann Brashares' website).

Visit Ann Brashares' website.
Visit her blog.
Follow on Twitter.
Her Facebook Page.

FTC Information: I received this book from Lydia Hirt at Riverhead Books for review.  I have Amazon links on my review pages but I do not make any money from these because of NC laws.  I put them solely for people to check out the books on a retail site.

 

Book Blogger Hop and What I'm Reading Friday

Wow - has it really been a week - I thought I just signed up for this yesterday, but no, it really has been a week.  I've been busy busy since last Friday, but able to accomplish posts.  I actually think this Book Blogger Hop really inspires me to post.  So do you want to join or visit blogs that have signed up?  It's simple, go and check out Crazy-For_Books.com for the Mr. Linky for the Blog Hop.  



ABOUT THE HOP:

In the spirit of the Friday Follow, the Book Blogger Hop is a place just for book bloggers and readers to connect and find new blogs that we may be missing out on!  This weekly BOOK PARTY is an awesome opportunity for book bloggers to connect with other book lovers, make new friends, support each other, and generally just share our love of books!  It will also give blog readers a chance to find other book blogs that they may not know existed!  So, grab the logo, post about the Hop on your blog, and start HOPPING through the list of blogs that are posted in the Linky list below!!

The Hop lasts Friday-Monday every week, so if you don't have time to Hop today, come back later and join the fun!  This is a weekly event!

Your blog should have content related to books, including, but not limited to book reviews.

What I'm Reading on Friday Edition:

Kindle: Dangerous by Diana Palmer

I can't seem to get to this for the print books I have for review, but I'm going to try and read this over the weekend.

Audio in the Car:  Don't Look Twice by Andrew Gross 

I started the 6th Disc today, very interesting.

Review Book:  Strange Neighbors by Ashlyn Chase

I am loving this one - so fun and cute.  I'm about 1/3 of the way through and should finish it quickly.  Review will be coming next week.

Library Book:  Burned by P.C. and Kristen Cast

Only a few pages into this but it seems interesting so far.  Hope to work on this one this weekend as well.

    

Book Reviews:
My Name is Memory by Ann Brashares
Welcome to Harmony by Jodi Thomas

*****Check out my sidebar for giveaways going on right now and there are more to come very soon!*****

Other notes for today - It's Friday and I'm tired.  I did go to Buffalo Wild Wings with my hubby for lunch and that was good (ours just opened).  We had fun playing the trivia game and DH even won.  Plans to go workout after work and then do some reading when I get home and then a few episodes of Lost with the family.